This thesis aims to answer the question why the American sports model proves to be more lucrative and sustainable than its European counterpart in various aspects, such as marketing, television rights, merchandising sales, stadium ticket income, and sponsorship deals. This is despite European soccer boasting a significantly larger fanbase and more television viewers than the American sports. The focus of this research will center on the NBA and NFL in American sports, and the Premier League, the German Bundesliga and the Champions League in European Soccer. The motivation behind this research is the fact that American sports leagues consistently outperform in financial terms, even though European leagues have a larger fan following on TV, higher merchandise sales, and greater stadium attendance. For example, the UEFA Champions League Finals has more viewers worldwide than the Super Bowl, the largest sport event in the United States. However, the Superbowl generates significantly higher revenue for both the league and participating teams. This fact is the main part and the justification of this thesis. This awareness has long been evident to European soccer club managers, prompting the need for a comprehensive exploration and understanding of the underlying factors. A key concern revolves around the financial constraints imposed by the UEFA, the European Soccer Association. The organization controls the allocation of funds derived from TV rights deals. While UEFA´s strategy aims to foster competition and fan engagement by distributing funds equitably among clubs, it disproportionally benefits larger clubs with sizable fanbases. Later, this topic will play an important role in this thesis because the qualification for the Champions League gives a lot of money to the clubs, that qualify. This leads to unequal distribution of money in the national leagues, for example the Bundesliga. The prevailing model, criticized by major clubs, involves UEFA retaining a substantial share of the funds to cover expenses, including substantial salaries for managers and brand ambassadors (Jens Berger, 2015). Because of that, several clubs announced the founding of a “Superleague” in 2021, but due to fan protests, they discarded the idea.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Literature Review
- International Marketing
- Fandom
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This research project aims to understand why the American sports model (focusing on the NBA and NFL) generates significantly more revenue than its European counterpart (focusing on the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Champions League), despite European soccer having a larger global fanbase and viewership. The study explores the financial discrepancies, considering factors such as marketing strategies, television rights, merchandising, stadium income, and sponsorship deals.
- Comparative Analysis of American and European Sports Models
- The Role of International Marketing in Sports Revenue Generation
- The Impact of Fandom and Fan Loyalty on Revenue
- Financial Structures and Revenue Distribution within Leagues
- The Influence of Governing Bodies (e.g., UEFA) on Revenue Allocation
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Introduction: This chapter introduces the central research question: why do American sports leagues like the NBA and NFL generate more revenue than their European counterparts, despite the latter often boasting larger fanbases? The research focuses on comparing the financial performance of these leagues, highlighting the apparent paradox of higher viewership not translating to higher revenue in European soccer. The Super Bowl's significantly higher revenue compared to the UEFA Champions League final, despite the latter's wider viewership, is presented as a key motivating factor for this study. The chapter also touches upon the financial constraints faced by European clubs due to UEFA's control over revenue distribution from television rights, and the attempted (but ultimately failed) "Superleague" project as a consequence of these issues.
Literature Review: International Marketing: This section delves into the field of international marketing, citing various sources to establish a foundational understanding. It highlights the importance of analyzing international markets for businesses aiming to generate profits. The significance of emerging markets for the sports industry is noted, with examples such as NBA games in emerging markets and international soccer tournaments. The role of the internet in global marketing is emphasized, along with case studies examining Coca-Cola's marketing strategies in the US and China, illustrating the importance of adapting strategies to local preferences while maintaining brand consistency. The chapter concludes by connecting international marketing to the sports industry, showcasing how teams utilize international marketing to access larger markets and maximize revenues.
Literature Review: Fandom: This section explores the concept of fandom and its implications for marketers. It draws on Samra's (2014) fan typology analysis, emphasizing three key features of fans: emotional attachment, loyalty behavior, and their role as consumers. The strong emotional connections fans have to their teams are highlighted, along with their consistent loyalty, which influences purchasing decisions. This analysis lays the groundwork for understanding how fan behavior impacts the financial success of sports organizations, and how this differs between American and European sports models.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
American sports model, European sports model, revenue generation, international marketing, fandom, fan loyalty, UEFA, NBA, NFL, Premier League, Bundesliga, Champions League, television rights, merchandising, sponsorship deals, financial structures, comparative analysis.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main topic of this text?
This document previews a research project comparing the American and European sports models, specifically focusing on why American leagues (NBA, NFL) generate more revenue than European leagues (Premier League, Bundesliga, Champions League) despite potentially smaller global fanbases.
What are the main objectives of the research?
The research aims to understand the financial discrepancies between American and European sports leagues, exploring factors like marketing strategies, television rights, merchandising, stadium income, and sponsorship deals. It also considers the impact of fandom and the influence of governing bodies on revenue allocation.
What are the key themes explored in the research?
The key themes include a comparative analysis of American and European sports models, the role of international marketing in sports revenue generation, the impact of fandom and fan loyalty on revenue, financial structures and revenue distribution within leagues, and the influence of governing bodies like UEFA.
What is covered in the Introduction chapter?
The Introduction chapter introduces the research question: why do American sports leagues generate more revenue than their European counterparts despite the latter often having larger fanbases? It highlights the paradox of higher viewership not translating to higher revenue in European soccer and uses the Super Bowl versus Champions League final revenue comparison as an example.
What is covered in the Literature Review chapter on International Marketing?
This section explores the importance of analyzing international markets for businesses aiming to generate profits. It highlights the significance of emerging markets for the sports industry and the role of the internet in global marketing. It also includes case studies examining Coca-Cola's marketing strategies and connecting international marketing to the sports industry.
What is covered in the Literature Review chapter on Fandom?
This section explores the concept of fandom and its implications for marketers, drawing on Samra's (2014) fan typology analysis. It emphasizes the emotional attachment, loyalty behavior, and consumer role of fans, highlighting how fan behavior impacts the financial success of sports organizations.
What are some of the keywords associated with this research?
The keywords include: American sports model, European sports model, revenue generation, international marketing, fandom, fan loyalty, UEFA, NBA, NFL, Premier League, Bundesliga, Champions League, television rights, merchandising, sponsorship deals, financial structures, and comparative analysis.
What are some key differences between the American and European Sports models?
The document explores the financial differences in the two models, noting UEFA's control over revenue distribution in European football, and it mentions the failed "Superleague" project as a potential result of these issues. It examines television rights and merchandising.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2023, Comparison between the European and the American Model of Sport, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1561476
